Chapter 237
Chapter 237
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 237
Chapter Title: Crusade Army
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Thanks to Saint Kim Katt's miraculous heroics, the village had reclaimed justice. Sure, there was that nagging feeling like I'd done something utterly insane, but everyone seemed thrilled, so it was probably fine.
I pitched in with dismantling the Flesh Tower too.
Having been hailed as a saint, I couldn't just bail. Trembling with rage at the heretics' wickedness, I gathered up the remains that had once been the village's innocent folk.
Chopped-up bone fragments and severed limbs.
Heads with eyes peacefully closed.
Each piece was feather-light, yet felt crushingly heavy. Human suffering. Grief. The weight of life... the essence of humanity.
"...Massacre."
A horrific war.
Compared to the upright followers of a righteous faith, these devil-worshipping scum were savages of the worst kind.
They gained immense power easily by sacrificing humans or offering the agony of the innocent to their god. Naturally, the faithful had no choice but to fight tooth and nail against such abominations.
Humans are inherently wicked; without restraints, we'd unleash madness across the cosmos. Earth had its witch hunts and world wars, and this otherworld I'd seen seemed ripe for the same.
So, we had to stop it.
Now that I'd become a saint, might as well do it right.
As a devout follower of Fusion Confucianism—which reveres propriety—I would never forgive these heretics who'd strayed into darkness.
The stew execution was undeniably a barbaric act born of frenzy. But it was retribution, nothing more. Just proper payback for their atrocities.
Brutal, yes. But necessary.
—Rustle.
As a macho existence, I'd reached that conclusion, and mana began surging within me. Flames—no, like molten lava scorching my guts, bubbling up my spine and embedding deep in my brain.
...I'd broken through a wall.
Upright thoughts.
Acting on what I believed was justice, without compromise.
"...Is this it?"
I unleashed the murderous forms of the Execution Fist Technique. Then the Execution Steps to steady my balance, drew my sword, and flowed into the Execution Sword Style.
—Snap snap snap!
Next came the Execution Sword Dance, the pinnacle of my close-quarters combat. The blade whipped through the air in perfectly efficient arcs, slicing away the walls and hesitations in my heart.
—Whoosh!
To me, sword dancing wasn't just swinging a blade. It involved punches and kicks for counters, ground techniques, blocking enemy strikes with my armor, and thrusting along optimal paths.
—Squeak!
"Control... the impulse."
—Sizzle.
I felt the surging mana stabilize.
I circulated the amplified mana throughout my body. A sharper, colder alien sensation enveloped my flesh.
My piss-poor mana pool refilled anew.
"Haa... haa..."
Subtle, but certain.
Faint, but crystal clear.
My mana had increased, just a trickle.
"You've gained an inner enlightenment."
Sweat dripped in steady streams.
My mind, clouded by madness, sorrow, and pain, cleared like a brightening sky.
"No excuses or compromises for killing enemies."
I gazed up at the clear blue sky.
The tragedies of World War II and the Korean War must never repeat. Nor the horrors inflicted on Jews in Auschwitz or blacks in sugarcane fields.
No KKK.
No imperialism.
No fascism. No wars.
"I am Saint Kim Katt."
This crusade had granted me profound insight.
That alone was a massive gain.
I'd seen the cremated remains of the massacred villagers and the women weeping over them... Tragedy. Such tragedies must never repeat...!
We have to smash every follower of Ezath!
That was my resolve.
"Saint."
"...Elise."
Elise returned with her usual blank expression and called to me.
I leaned against the wall and slumped down, mumbling a reply. She sat beside me.
"The judgments are complete. Every heretic branded with tattoos met a gruesome, pathetic end—just like what they'd done."
"I can tell from the stench, yeah."
"Not a pleasant one."
Come to think of it, evening was approaching.
After a quiet moment, Elise spoke.
"But judging the heretics here won't erase their evils, nor bring the dead back."
True enough.
"To prevent this from happening again, we must exterminate the heretics. Look at those wailing village women. Such pain... such sorrow... has no place in this world."
Firm resolve.
"The masses losing family, children, enduring unspeakable torment... The Radiant Cross Society will serve until paradise descends, shielding the innocent from suffering."
The crusaders and holy knights who'd executed heretics in a frenzy were, at their core, kind-hearted champions of justice.
That's why they served to stabilize the world.
Elise occasionally showed savage ferocity, but only against heretics and monsters.
She believed there should be no sorrow or pain in the world—a profoundly righteous stance.
As I always say, Elise and the Radiant Cross Society serve to purge evil and bring paradise to earth.
Their methods and garb might be extreme, but their hearts were true.
"...You're right, Elise. These tragedies can't repeat."
"Will you join us?"
"Of course."
Claudy had looted the bandits' corpses, netting a fortune. We could've called it quits and headed back to Isvant with massive profits.
But I'd resolved to wipe out the heretics.
"I figured as much. As expected of our saint—you're a paragon of justice. That's why... yes, your home must be harmonious too."
"...Is that so? Am I really that just?"
"Indeed."
"Heh heh heh..."
"Time to head in."
The day was fading.
A day defined by nothing but madness had finally ended. Executions done, suspected bandits undergoing proper holy knight interrogations.
They'd handle it fine.
With most village buildings empty, the crusade army, soldiers, and adventurers claimed spots to rest. Winia and Claudy had already picked a room.
I trudged back.
"You're back."
"The saint graces us."
"Finally acknowledging me as saint, eh?"
"Bullshit."
Inside, Winia and Claudy lounged casually at a table, divvying up looted jewelry and cash.
The huge piles really drove home Claudy's prowess.
"Come here, my saint."
"Yeah, yeah."
Winia teased, but Claudy seemed genuinely pleased. She eyed a looted ring appraisingly.
"We're raking it in more than expected."
"Tell me about it. This'll tide us over for a while."
"Heh heh, right?"
Good. I'd help with the tally.
I stowed my armor in a corner. This house had likely belonged to massacre victims. Heretics squatted here before; now us... odd feeling.
"Ugh, blood reek. Darkie, go wash up. Bathhouse is running."
Bandits had lived in the village, so plumbing was intact. Half-normalized, stalls had reopened amid the army-sized garrison. They'd cleaned and fixed necessities.
I stripped, grabbed fresh undies and towel, and headed to the bathhouse. Not far, plenty of users.
Washing away today's sins, perhaps? Packed with holy knights, crusaders, soldiers, adventurers.
—Murmur murmur.
They stirred as I entered, mid-pour.
"The saint... it's the saint."
"The black-haired saint."
"The saint is here."
I smiled and waved.
"A just evening to you all. Thanks for your hard work today."
"Ooh... oooh...!"
The mood turned solemn.
I claimed a spot, scooped cold water from the pipe, and doused myself. Blood stench clung thick— from dismantling the Flesh Tower.
Corpse smell too.
I scrubbed meticulously, slowly with cold water. Quietly pouring over my head, washing away my troubled heart.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The crusade army began rebuilding the village.
Adventurers and mercenaries rested, but justice-fueled holy knights and the baron's local soldiers eagerly erected stockades and cleaned up.
Nothing else to do while garrisoned till the next march. Village women joined to rebuild their home.
Rebuild, huh.
With all the men dead, who knew if it could happen. Post-war, the baron would sort it, probably.
"Saint, good news."
"Hm? What?"
I was lending a light hand, moving a bit.
Topless shoveling, Elise approached.
"Isvant and Krasheim lords' allied forces are retaking heretic-held villages in sequence."
"No way, really?"
"Yes, that's the word."
"Great."
The subjugation force advancing elsewhere was smashing heretics smoothly. Recent messengers had brought this boon.
Awesome.
"So, how much left?"
"Just the first village seized remains."
The very first one taken.
"Hanara..."
Was that Yertak? Kobson mentioned it.
"Not sure on details, but seems they'll sync attacks from multiple directions."
"Coordinated assault?"
"Exactly."
"Then it's over for them."
Crusade army joining the subjugation force? Bandits and demon hordes wouldn't stand a chance. Holy knights and crusaders' power was otherworldly.
Who'd expect bare-handed stockade-smashing? I'd imagined sieges.
Well, otherworld rules made it possible... I'd briefly defaulted to Earth war logic.
"Word is, heretics there mostly bear the evil god's blessings, granting great strength. But they can't beat the crusade alliance."
"Ah, so the real elite Ezath-blessed heretics are holed up there?"
"Likely. Their main base."
"Hmm..."
I recalled Jer Das's gruesome death.
He'd been a top-tier blessed one, yet holy warriors crushed him effortlessly. A horde like that would be dangerous.
Explained Baron Dodens's initial rout. They'd sent chaff to hold villages, keeping elites centralized.
"With Baron Dodens regrouping for attack too, victory odds skyrocket."
"Three lords and crusade army hitting together?"
"Yes. The holy war's end is in sight."
That last spot: Ezath-worshipping heretic bandit HQ. Smash it, back to Isvant.
"Saint, I'll help too."
Elise grabbed her shovel.
Ridiculous.
Shoveling? I'm unmatched.
Work was done anyway.
"Nah, nearly finished here. Heading in soon. Gotta stock stamina for the fight. Rest up—you too. Haven't slept tending village women for days."
"Not tiring. And it must be done now."
"No, rest first. C'mon, back. Resting now is what you can only do now."
"...Understood."
And so, casually aiding reconstruction, I conserved strength till the next advance.